Living as Christians for the week of December 28, 2026–January 3, 2027

“You will save both yourself and those who listen to you”

How has Jehovah’s organization used videos to teach?

Comment 1: Jehovah’s organization has been using films and videos to preach and teach for more than a hundred years. From the beginning, the purpose was not simply to attract attention with something novel. It was to help more people learn Bible truths and to make those truths reach their hearts.

Comment 2: I am impressed by the decision made by the Bible Students in June 1913. Although motion pictures were still relatively new, they saw their potential for teaching. By January 1914, they had already released the Photo-Drama of Creation. They did not merely recognize that a tool could be useful; they took concrete steps to use it in the ministry.

Comment 3: The Photo-Drama of Creation combined color slides and filmed sequences, with the image and voice synchronized. It lasted eight hours. All of this helped viewers see Bible accounts come to life. In this way, technology was placed at the service of Bible teaching.

Comment 4: They did not limit themselves to presenting films in large auditoriums. In the 1920s, they prepared short films that could be viewed in homes with an inexpensive portable projector. They showed Rutherford’s travels through Bible lands and helped people become familiar with those places and learn about many prophecies. They looked for a way to bring the teaching closer to people.

Comment 5: In the 1950s, the film The New World Society in Action was used to show that our organization was international. Interested people could see our Bethel facilities, international conventions, and the preaching work in remote places. They did not just hear about that work; they could see it.

Comment 6: Films were also used to address real-life problems. For example, Heritage, released in English in 1966, presented difficulties faced by young people. This shows that these productions have not been devoted only to explaining our history or our organization but also to addressing situations that personally affect those who watch them.

Comment 7: Different media were used to reach more people. Heritage, for example, was shown at conventions and other large gatherings, but it was also broadcast on more than 150 television stations in the United States. Its use was not limited to those who attended our meetings.

Comment 8: Jehovah’s organization has adapted to the tools available. When more and more families had videocassette players, it began producing videos again. In 1990, it released Jehovah’s Witnesses…The Organization Behind the Name. In this way, a medium that was already entering many homes was used to make our work known.

Comment 9: The 1990 video made it possible to learn about the work behind our publications and how they were used to preach throughout the world. This helped people appreciate not only the finished publications but also all the effort that made it possible for them to reach people.

1 Timothy 4:16 — Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

Comment 10: As the Workbook explains, videos help us in the two aspects mentioned by this text: caring for our conduct and improving our teaching. So we do not watch them merely to gain information. We want them to help us remain spiritually strong and to teach others better.

Comment 11: What stands out most at the end of the video is that technology has changed tremendously, but the objective remains the same. Jehovah’s organization continues using these media so that Bible teachings reach the heart. What matters is not how impressive a production is but what it helps us understand and put into practice.

What videos have touched your heart or helped your family?

Comment 1: One thing I would highlight from this video is the effort made by the early Bible Students. With the resources available in their day, they looked for new ways to reach people. This detail moves us to appreciate the tools we have now and to ask ourselves whether we are making good use of them to teach.

Comment 2: I am especially impressed by the part explaining why films began to be shown in homes. Not everyone had to go to a large theater to benefit from them. That interest in bringing the teaching closer to people is a fine point to discuss as a family: When preaching, we want to think about what may help the person in front of us.

Comment 3: One detail of this video that can help us as a family is the explanation about the 1990 production. It showed all the work behind our publications. Remembering this gives us reasons to appreciate what we receive and not view it as something that is simply there, without thinking about the effort required to prepare it.

Comment 4: I would highlight the part devoted to young people. The video explains that as early as 1966, a film was prepared that reflected real problems they faced. This detail shows that their difficulties were not overlooked. It can serve to start a family conversation about what concerns our children and what help they need.

Comment 5: I would hold on to the final thought: The goal is for the Bible to reach the heart. That gives us good direction when watching videos as a family. In addition to recalling interesting facts, we can discuss which teaching made us think and how we want to apply it. Thus, we do not leave the conversation at simply saying whether we liked the video.

How can we use videos in our ministry, and how can we prepare to use them?

Comment 1: We can choose a video by thinking about what the person needs, not simply which one we like best. The historical review shows that productions have had different purposes: making our work known, bringing Bible accounts closer, or addressing real difficulties. To choose well, it is first helpful to listen and learn what interests or concerns the person.

Comment 2: Preparing includes watching the video before showing it. That way, we know what it explains and can think of a brief introduction that fits the conversation. We do not need to tell the person everything it contains beforehand. It is enough to be clear about what idea might help that person and why it would be worthwhile for the person to watch it.

Comment 3: After watching it, we can ask a simple question to find out what caught the person’s attention. The objective highlighted by the video is to reach the heart, and to do that we need to listen, not merely play a file. The person’s response may help us discover what he or she understood, what interests the person, and what the person would like to continue discussing.

Comment 4: One practical detail would be to check beforehand that we know how to find and play the video we want to use. The brothers in the 1920s had to think about how to bring films into homes by means of a portable projector. We too can prepare the tool in advance so that afterward we can concentrate on the person and on the teaching.

1 Timothy 4:16 — Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

Comment 5: This counsel encourages us to keep improving our teaching. One way to do so would be to prepare a question that connects the video with the Bible teaching we want to explain. In this way, the video does not replace our conversation with the person but helps us teach with a clear purpose.

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